Lasithi Prefecture Overview

The Lasithi Prefecture doesn’t make a great first impression: in the heavily touristed towns on the western side, all local culture seems to be lost in a flurry of summer hedonism. The road east from Iraklion, however, eventually passes over these jam-packed, overpriced resort towns and leads to the quiet, scenic inland region. The smaller villages that line the eastern edge, sustained not by tourism but by thriving local agriculture, are spread out between olive groves and stretches of unblemished coastline. Lasithi’s abundance of stunning natural sights— the palm-tree forest at Vai, the Valley of Death near Kato Zakros, and the desert island of Chrissi off the coast of Ierapetra, and more—will make you forget even the tackiest of resort towns.

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